By Atul Anand
This Twocircles.net film recalls the violence near Bhima Koregaon memorial obelisk in Pune on January 1, 2018, left people shocked and angry. Delhi-centric media focussed on subsequent strike and protests rather the attack on people visiting the memorial. We are approaching the 201st anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon and one year anniversary of the violence. It would be an important time to reflect on the role of the Indian state and the caste society in the violence. Through this video story, we again learn the fact that the attacks were pre-meditated and were carried out by saffron-clad goons. It was frightening that the village administrations of Vadhu Budruk, Koregaon and Sanaswadi villages boycotted the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the battle of Bhima Koregaon and passed sanctions against the people who visited the obelisk that day. Gram Sabha of Vadhu Budruk village termed the event as the celebration of false history. It observed January 1, 2018, as a black day. In Sanaswadi village, Ashok Athawale’s shop and home were burnt down. He escaped death, fortunately. No action has been taken against the people who had attacked Ashok Athawale yet. Amit Bhongade, a young man from Yavatmal, was attacked while returning from Bhima Koregaon and sustained serious injuries. He hasn’t got any compensation from the government.